Polls open in Clacton, where Farage spent more than £10,000 in byelection against Count Binface – as it happened

The Reform UK leader resigned as the MP for Clacton at the start of July and forced a byelection The number of patients in England being cared for in hospital corridors or makeshift areas has remained above 3,000 a day for the second month in a row, as the NHS experiences a “summer surge” , the Press Association reports.

This was happening as A&E attendance numbers reached 2.5m in July – higher than any other single month on record .

May and June were also record months for A&E attendance, in part because of the extreme heat.

Yvette Cooper, the health secretary, warned yesterday the health service must start planning for summer pressures in the same way as winter.

However, the data shows overall waiting times for treatment fell slightly in June after rising for two months in a row.

The NHS normally experiences spikes in demand during the summer months, as the public spends more time outside which can lead to a rise in accidents.

But this summer has seen unprecedented pressure, with the heat contributing to an increase in admissions caused by more outdoor activity and respiratory issues linked to dry weather, as well as worsening of underlying medical conditions.

The first minister is right to ask about this.

This is 1,500 jobs in the north of Scotland.

It’s also an area that is being transformed by that move towards offshore renewables, Scotland continuing to contribute.

It’s an area which is, in general terms, important for security.

Scotland is contributing to European energy security, which is a concern across Europe when you speak to leaders there.

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